Odelisk Poem by Luke J. Holt

My fear of beauty is fear of being cast in ruby
Jealousy's foggy emerald is its own bedlam
At least an urchin knows to avert his eyes to the floor
When the Odelisks take to the plaza
I try not to trust that which makes the bellrose look modest
Which makes man-sized gems of all who leer with smarmy affect
Eyebrows and brains frozen to crystal in haughty attitudes
My shoes are more full of holes than my other shoes
I know this because i know to look down and count stones in the road when the odelisks come to make a museum of humanoid gemstones out of my lecherous village